Yreka, CA to Macdoel, CA is 56.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 14 minutes via US 97, 99-97 Cutoff, and Cascade Wonderland Highway, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within California's Pacific Coast region, offering a straightforward trip between two neighboring towns. Given its brief duration, it's an ideal segment for a day trip or as a quick connection between larger destinations. You'll be covering less than 60 miles, making it an easy addition to any itinerary without demanding significant time.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 97
27.9 mi
31m
99-97 Cutoff
18.6 mi
30m
Cascade Wonderland Highway
8.8 mi
9m
North Main Street
0.3 mi
<1m
766
0.3 mi
<1m
East Center Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Mount Pitt Road
<0.1 mi
<1m
Alvarado Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 97
— 27.9 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yreka, CA and Macdoel, CA.
1
Start on I 5 BUS; CA 3; US 99 Hist
0.3 mi·39 sec·North Main Street
2
Turn left onto East Center Street
0.1 mi·11 sec·East Center Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·21 sec
4
Merge onto I 5
8.8 mi·9 min·Cascade Wonderland Highway
5
Take the exit onto 766
0.3 mi·28 sec·766
Toward Montague, Grenada
6
At end of road, turn left onto A12
19 mi·30 min·99-97 Cutoff
7
At end of road, turn left onto US 97
28 mi·31 min·US 97
8
Turn right onto Juniper Knoll Road
115 ft·6 sec·Juniper Knoll Road
9
Turn right onto Mount Pitt Road
379 ft·22 sec·Mount Pitt Road
10
Turn left onto Alvarado Street
224 ft·9 sec·Alvarado Street
11
Arrive at destination
Alvarado Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 28.2 miles from Yreka, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 56.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|East Center Street
Turn left onto East Center Street
Navigation decision point
5
9.4 mi into trip|~10m in|766
Take the exit onto 766 toward Montague, Grenada
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Montague, Grenada
4
9.7 mi into trip|~11m in|A12 / 99-97 Cutoff
At end of road, turn left onto A12 / 99-97 Cutoff
Navigation decision point
4
28.4 mi into trip|~41m in|US 97
At end of road, turn left onto US 97
Navigation decision point
5
56.3 mi into trip|~1h 13m in|Alvarado Street
Turn left onto Alvarado Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.25 one way
$26.49 round trip
$5.97/gal25.4 MPG avg20 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.18
$13.73
$27.45
premium
$6.30
$13.98
$27.96
diesel
$5.35
$11.88
$23.76
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
16.9
0
$5.92
$2.71
Efficient EV
14.1
0
$4.94
$2.26
EV Truck/SUV
22.6
0
$7.90
$3.61
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of May 9, 2026
Origin
Yreka, CA
Afternoon
in Yreka on Wednesday
Local time
1:31 PM
PDT
Current temp
87°F
Sunny
NNE 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued May 9 at 2:26PM MST until May 11 at 8:00PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued May 9 at 2:26PM MST until May 11 at 8:00PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ
Destination
Macdoel, CA
Afternoon
in Macdoel on Wednesday
Local time
1:31 PM
PDT
Current temp
82°F
Sunny
NW 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued May 9 at 2:26PM MST until May 11 at 8:00PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued May 9 at 2:26PM MST until May 11 at 8:00PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
5 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 14m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is 49% highway, meaning you'll spend about half the time on higher-speed roads and the other half on surface roads. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 27.9 miles on US 97. Expect a mix of driving experiences, transitioning from more developed highway conditions to a more rural cruising feel as you proceed. The surface profile indicates you'll encounter varied road conditions, not exclusively interstate or freeway driving.
49% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.9 mi on US 97.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near East Center Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 14m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (East Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.4 miles (766): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.7 miles (A12 / 99-97 Cutoff): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
5,077 ft2,523 ft
Total Climb
2,775 ft
Total Descent
1,096 ft
Highest Point
5,077 ft
~40.3 mi in
Elevation Range
2,554 ft
Notable High Points
5,077 ft at ~40.3 miles+2 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Yreka, CA and Macdoel, CA, road signs point toward Montague and Grenada.
Montague
9.4 mi in|~10m|via 766
Grenada
9.4 mi in|~10m|via 766
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Yreka (pronounced wye-ree-kuh) is a city of 7,500 people (2019) in Siskiyou County in the Shasta Cascades region of California. Yreka is home to the College of the Siskiyous, Klamath National Forest Interpretive Museum and the Siskiyou County Museum.
Top landmarks
•Yreka Carnegie Library — library
•West Miner Street-Third Street Historic District — historic district in Yreka, California
Macdoel is a town in Siskiyou County in California. To get there from Weed, turn on US-97 N until you reach it. It is nearby Meiss Lake, and has an elementary school. Potato manufacturing is big here.
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 27.9 miles on US 97. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (East Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.4 miles (766): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.7 miles (A12 / 99-97 Cutoff): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Lava Beds National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Macdoel, CA before heading back.
